Flemington’s Massage Envy grows with industry

What used to be a luxury that only high society could buy, massages have become an affordable therapy catering to the needs of people with allergies, chronic headaches, high blood pressure, body pain and rehabilitation after surgery.

At Massage Envy at the Shoppes at Flemington, franchise owner Greg Robertson said the business has exploded with more than 7,000 clients worked on in a year. The cost is $49 for a one-hour introductory massage or $59 for monthly memberships. In the membership program, guests receive a one-hour session each month and earn free massages with referrals, as well as other perks. The borough facility is filled with 10 rooms and 20 state or nationally-certified or licensed therapists who have received a minimum of 700 hours of training, Robertson said. The massage rooms are equipped with hydrolic tables and cashmere and heated blankets. Candles light the rooms from which soft music flows. "The power has shifted on how people look at massage,'' Robertson said. "It used to be a luxury. Now, it has taken on a whole therapeutic approach, working with anything from back and neck pain to migraines and carpal tunnel syndrome.'' Robertson said depending on a customer's massage of choice -- trigger Point, Swedish, deep tissue, sports, reflexology or cranial sacral -- a therapist specializing in that area is matched with the type of massage. A one-hour massage therapy session at Massage Envy clinics nationwide consists of five minutes of therapist consultation, 50 minutes of hands-on massage and five minutes of dressing. Customers are nearly guaranteed to get an appointment the same day, he said. Robertson also owns a location in Hillsborough and plans to open a third Central Jersey location soon. Prior to opening the two franchises, Robertson had worked in a corporate office as a senior manager in marketing for Pfizer Pharmaceutical. He said he plans to add facials to the menu at the borough location. For more local news or to share your own news, visit www.flemington.injersey.com Pamela Sroka-Holzmann: 908-243-6615; Psroka@MyCentralJersey.com

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